ghdprentice

Responses from ghdprentice

Enough noise reduction?
I guess I would not look at the question in the same way well… I mean I would not look at the component specs. You are asking the right question. Are there better matches. It is mostly a question of which sounds best in your system and that includ... 
ACME 300B matched pair - different blue glow intensity - new in amp world
So, I believe what the photos show is that one tube has the blue glow and one doesn’t and the tube that glows switches sockets… showing it is a characteristic of the tube and not the amp.   Yes, I would be concerned. Whenever, I have detected a ... 
Do your speakers bite??
I know what you mean. I have heard it. But over my fifty years pursuing high end audio I found that the more you shoot for natural and what the real acoustic events sound like, the more your system will sound better with all genera of music. I don... 
Has new music gone down the tubes?
The progress in music has been continuous since the cave man, although at a greater pace. Each generation identifies with stuff they grew up on. Each generation has some really great music to add.   I grew up, basically on The Beatles —-> roc... 
Why do Tube Amps sound more romantic v SS amps
@keeferdog   My last three sets of Speakers have been Sonus Faber. I was a long time user of solid state amps. They are really good (in general) at detail and slam. Well designed tubed amps frequently capture the warmth and natural beauty of mu... 
My audio system and streaming service are not yet on speaking terms. Help needed.
Qobuz is the best sounding service and has over 500,000 high resolution albums.   Streaming has a very low network demand. My system works without hitch when my iPad will not refresh a page. I operate my two systems with dedicated streamers usin... 
Neutral Dac?
The neutral thing is hard… it is so associated with flat measured it gets the rap of meaning lean.    So, for example, I owned a Audio Research Reference CD9 / DAC. If I characterize it’s sound, I would say it is detailed, warm and natural soundi... 
To upgrade, or not to upgrade, that is the question
It will be dependent on your streamer and associated system. It would be useful to know / see your system. There is a place for photos / identified your components under your user ID. Then you don’t have to keep entering the same info. As it is es... 
Cartridges
OP, A common dilemma these days. I have equal sounding analog and digital ends. They were of equal cost (see my profile)… ~$45K each. I have a long history with analog. And a collection of 2,000 mostly pristine albums and audiophile releases I ha... 
Another dedicated circuit question
I had a classic ground loop problem. I had one dedicated line to my power conditioner. When I would plug my amp into a nearby duplex receptacle  I would get a hum. The circuit my amp was plugged into had a number of outlets on them… I never fiigur... 
Are advances in technology making speakers better?
@larryi I think we are just emphasizing different perspectives. Mine mostly comes from observation of the sound achieved across the spectrum of speakers that have been on the market over that time. Granted I did build some enormous speakers in t... 
Valve Amp for Sonus Faber Sonetto IIIs
@jjss49  +1 I power my Sonus Faber Amati Traditional with Audio Research REF 160s in triode mode… so 70Watts per channel…. They can be played a lot louder (and sound good) that I ever want to hear them.    One of the known synergistic combinati... 
Is it worth upgrading a CD player?
@charles1dad    +1 well said, I agree.   
Are advances in technology making speakers better?
@larryi   Maybe we are disagree on the word technology. I consider material science and changes in design (dimensions and configurations technology). Not just say changing from a cone based to a “cube” based for instance. Yes, cones with magnet... 
Problem with biasing
Hi Kelly. My systems are shown under my user ID. I have Audio Research Reference Phono stage, preamp, DAC/ CD player, and amps, Woo head amps WA6, WA6SE, WA 5, and a PrimaLuna integrated amp. I’m thinking about $100 in the last ten years. I had ...